There are various types of printing methods such as relief printing, intaglio printing, stencil (screen) printing and planographic printing, and printing is performed utilizing the characteristics of the respective methods.
In particular, planographic printing is advantageous as compared to other printing methods, in terms of its ability to provide a printed matter having a high definition, and a lower total cost of printing, including running cost.
The planographic printing is a printing method which utilizes a printing plate in which an image area having ink acceptability and a non-image area having ink repellency are provided substantially on the same plane, and in which method the difference in ink adhesion between these areas is utilized to allow an ink to adhere only to the image area, followed by transferring the adhered ink to a medium to be printed, such as a paper, to achieve printing. Printing plates for use in planographic printing (hereinafter, referred to as planographic printing plates) are largely classified into two types: one in which the action of dampening water is utilized to impart ink repellency to the non-image area; and one in which a silicone rubber or a fluorine resin is used for forming the ink-repellent non-image area, and which does not require the use of dampening water.
A variety of proposals have been made regarding such a planographic printing plate in which a silicone rubber or a fluorine resin is used for forming the ink-repellent non-image area.